Antioch Books

In Antioch, since the invention of the impressor (the printing press), books have been the “in thing”. Here are some of the most common ones.

In Antioch, since the invention of the impressor (the printing press), books have been the “in thing”. Here are some of the most common ones.

To be continued…

Additional Ideas (23)

Spells of the Circle #1-10

Spells of the First Circle was the first book legally printed in Antioch. Spells are skills which utilize mystical talent in Arth, so those with the talent who study the books should be able to learn and cast these most basic effects. In fact, an average mage or wizard should be able to manage spells up to the Fourth Circle. The Spells of the First Circle is 64 pages in length, while spells of the near mythical 10th circle runs a whopping 270 pages. Impressed spellbooks are bound in a thick red cardstock cover with silver inking expressing the title and providence of the spells within.

These are the defined laws of magic which all magical principals and spells are based. This 84 page booklet (traditionally bound in Green cardstock with silver letters) defines all the current definitions of the laws. It also includes some guides on how to teach them and a few short pieces on alternate views.

There are plans to republish the Twentieth Guild Council's Laws of Magick. Many Wizards still use it to this day, and Elventi practitioners consider it the best since the Fifth Edition.

Pathfinder's Ways:
(Currently there are Ways for FirstLand, SecondLand, ThirdLand, MasqueLand, and the recently completed FourthLand. There is no imperially accepted Way for NorthLand or any Ocean Biome)

Most large area maps are books with flip pages, using a page and grid system that attempts to handle some of the odd functions of the Biomes. Each biome is mapped on one to 18 pages, with linking cross references to related pages. Way charts explain your probable exit destinations. If you have ever seen a Thomas Guide flip book ( http://www.thomasmap.com/index.htm ), these books are similar.

An early folio of Impressor notes. This hundred page book is filled with images explaining the rules behind how light energy can be focused, deflected, and moved by material objects (which are nothing but constrained magical energy). It has laid the ground work for all work in the field of optics and lens making since its release. The telescope and heating mirrors are directly pulled from this work.

Compiled in three volumes, this book details the blood and marital relationships of all the Imperial Nobles, with an emphasis on the High Elventi. The bloodlines can actually be explained in three pages, but listing the names of every imperial noble does take up a great deal of space.

This is the masters thesis of Ariones Impressor. It is the key work behind the impressors. Impressors take their name from the Impressor (printing press). The Theory that lead to the press was that all matter was nothing more than constrained magical energy, therefore one should be able to use the magickal laws to determine how to use magic. This view has led to the invention of optics, clockworks, advanced metallurgy, the printing press, etc. Impressor thought is being applied to the creation of material things that will focus magic as well.

A very impressive work by a council of Humanti and Elventi in WhiteCliffs of FirstLand ( http://www.rpgcitadel.com/guild/index.php?topic=1319.0 ). It combines the history of Humanti from its stone aged SecondLand origins to its expansion as the most populous race in the Imperium. It is very carefully written, as to not be seen as Humanti Independence propaganda.

Several servants of Lord Masterofallweapons.. brought their master's notes to the impressors to be bound. This three hundred page folio lists every kind of weapon know to the world, several that could be created, lists on how they use, and their good and bad points. It is the WarCrafter's master guide.

Bloodsmith is an High Elventi who has served as the master physician of the Imperium since the year 102 (it is currently 4000 something). These are some of the most magnifcent renderings of the Elventi, Humanti, Dwarventi, and many other races forms... both inside and out. He calls them his doodles. Each species' Way books details the physiology and energy pathways of the species and some solid cures for various common ailments (and a few exotic ones). The Healer's Guild was one of the first to come to the Impressors to "mass produce" these texts, since there was only one set per Civilized Region (that makes four in ThirdLand).

This book details the three aspects of cards in magic. Mages/ wizards and such use cards (playing cards or tarot cards) as training tools. The patterns created by certain layouts of cards are mnemonic devices to teach key elemental associations and paths. With such interesting names as the Tree of Life, Phoenix's tail, Rythm of Heart, and Balance of the sphere, there pattern represent the matrices used by magic users to focus and present power. Spell processes can be represented by a sequence of cards. So mages will often be seen handing around hands of cards. Wizards will have a deck of cards with them.

Tarot Cards are used by Magic folks to predict the future (cartomancy). Since the present becomes the future through the interplay of elementally aligned forces, the tumble of cards can give clues to the way the pattern of elements will be in the future.

Cards are also used to train wizards in Legerdemain. Since they have cards with them, they know how to use them. Guild magic users often have a knack for fancy shuffles, palming cards, and a variety of card tricks and games. Never play Poker with a Wizard.

This 1200 page epic is the story of two Elventi Lovers who are caught between duty, honor, and obligation. The complete edition is quite thick. There are editions that break the story down into three books. There is a short version Heart's Call in Humanti, which is watered down version of the original and a mere 350 pages.

The M&M gives a detailed account of the various battles, intrigues, alliances, and betrayals that have marked the last 120 years of the Landing Wars (up to that time). It is filled with clarified accounts of units involved in and their movements upon the field, with occasional maps and diagrams. In addition to the martial acts, it includes much of the notable political and social maneuvering performed over the course of the Wars. In fact, the powers diagram for the Bedroom Maneuvers (use of marriage and romance to foster power) is enlightening. Thought written 26 years ago, the books is still remarkably useful to understand the history of The Villages, the North Eastern Segment of the Antioch Region of ThirdLand.

This book binds together the hundreds of "fantastical", "fantasy", and folk stories for all of the Western World. In the dark and grim world of reality, these stories both illuminate and engage the sleeping soul.

The Walks is a detailed biography of all the Amarian Princes that have reigned over The Region for the Emperor since the city's founding. It excludes the last two Amarian Princes, who ruled since its publishing. What makes this work more interesting than the normal propaganda such works normally are, is that this is the first analytical biography. This works investigates and explains why the princes took the actions they did. It has become the benchmark for scholarship on the subject of leaders and biographies.

This work details the conspiracies and possibilities of Dark Cults throughout the ages. Dark Cults are defined as cults that do not worship conventional Deities, but worship (and perform for) Deamons and other spirits for the direct benefits they can provide. While some of the "scholarship" sound like flights of fancy, the book is thoughtful and insightful. This book would of been lost with the "mysterious deaths" of the author and scribe on the same night and the two fires (one of the author's house and one for the printer's warehouse), but miraculously copies survived to be mass published.

The Forgotten Element - On Water Flow
The author laments about the power and usefulness of the water element, but how it is underutilized by the (then) modern mage. There is a great deal of symbolism and imagery dealing with the smooth flow of water, magical, metaphorical, and physical. The work includes how water symbolism is used through out history. Of special note is how to handle water energy threads and how it is different than other elemental threads.

Rogerian Path
The author walks the magician through the symbolism of the cards and how the elements build upon each other. It is a primer for the empowered symbolism of the cards, but it can be used to enhance the symbolism and initiation of an Adept.

Impressing
This thin little book explains about "impressing" The Known World word for "Printing". It's author covers the physical act of printing as well as its tortured history (glossing over the initial political issues with the Mages Guild (from whom the Impressors Guild is a sub guild). There is even a nice synopsis of Ariones Impressor, the inventor of Impressing and initiator of the technical revolution underway in Antioch.

This is the "text book" on Guard training and performance in Antioch. While there is an actual official manual of the Guard already in print, this books was written by one of the finest DiSoldiers Antioch has ever seen. This man has literally saved the City, stopped an Imperial Assassination attempt, stopped three major riots (nearly single handedly), and led the forces that repelled The Army of Koleius (The Mad), a lord of the Villages thinking he could take Antioch.

The book covers drills and training, how to do things "The Guard Way", and some of the soundest and most practical advice for urban tactics and leadership ever put to pen. It is written in Archerious D'Antioch's own plain speaking way. It is as if the man is talking directly to you.

This book will be published sometime in the future, about 15 years from "now".

This delightfully cynical book chronicles the history of Antioch (and the Known World) from the point of view of "two old men". Each of the 216 sections covers the conversation between two old men sitting in a cafe complaining about the world. The dialog between these two is witty, insightful, and cynical (much like the writings of Mark Twain). It helps to illuminate the history of Antioch and the Known World and point out the foibles and inconsistancies that make up every day life.

Despite popular opinion, Statlerus and Waldorus were real people. They seem so archtypically Antiochian that some people think of them as characatures. Davidcus started as a server listening to them. He stopped serving and took his pay writing for Dogbounds and various WordSmith houses. He still stopped by and listened to the old men rant. He collected their best bits, added a few of his own, and the rest is an extremely popular book.

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One of the hard parts of having a printing press being "the new and revolutionary" pieces of technology in the last year or three is having to come up with books for them to "impress".

In Antioch, as in the Italian Ren period, it is fashionable to be seen with a book. It shows wisdom (or pretenses of) and composure, and in some ways style. Since books are now seen as a new "way" (or the way things should be), people try to cultivate good luck by following it.

Note:
Most of the Dogbounds are of Antioch providence as well.

There are a couple in the Books Scroll that are of Arth, but those books are more "neutral" not bound to the setting as these are.

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The Champion

In a city where the justice system features judicial dueling, plaintiffs and defendants are permitted to request a champion to take their place in the duel: Someone chosen by lot from among the foreigners in the city. When anyone first arrives, they are given an enchanted ceramic pendant that marks them as a candidate for "court duty".

Wealthy folk entering the city are often escorted by burly guards, paid to carry pendants on their behalf: They elude court duty in that way.

Adventurers may seek work as a rich man's proxy or may find themselves magically summoned to serve as a champion.